One 10 to Another

Posted on Mon Sep 30th, 2024 @ 11:37pm by Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Ingram Dr & Captain Velasaria Azumé

1,347 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Mission 2: Bad Moon Rising
Location: USS Amaterasu, Captain's Ready Room

Lieutenant Commander Ingram, assigned by Admiral Chakrabarti before she even arrived from Earth. Replacing her at the Chief Science Officer position aboard. So the Admiral known they would need another officer in that position, was it because she knew that she was promoting Vel, or did she have doubts that Vel would have stayed if Mayhew had been promoted? Or worse had she intended to reassign Vel and somehow the Admiral had been impressed enough to let her stay? Not exactly a scenario that filled her with confidence. But then again...

Never mind. She was here she had the job. Moving from the large window of her ready room to the desk Vel sat. She still has a few minutes before the scheduled meeting and she wanted to review Ingram's file one more time. From what she could see here the man was going to be a handful to say the least. From the notes the Admiral made in his file it was clear that the Command in no way wanted this post, she even had Security inform her when he made it aboard the Kelcie Mae. Vel made a note to have Clare keep and eye on him, some of the other comments on his record spoke to a man who was trouble and didn't care that he was.

She would have to set clear boundaries with him, he was the new Science Officer and she was going to depend on him to do his job. She wasn't going to have time to do it for him. If nothing else she could pair him and Mayhew up and watch the torpedos fly.

The door chimed at the precise time of the meeting. Not a moment before. Nor a moment after. Punctual perfection was the sign of Swiss clock makers, Vulcan sculptors, and the worst sort of Type A personalities known to modern science.

Vel looked up from her computer, closing the note and forwarding it to to Clare to review. Standing from her desk she tugged on the Maroon uniform coat she wore smoothing out the lines that came from too many hours hunched over her desk.

"Come." She said, the hatch sliding open to reveal the bridge beyond.

With the door now open, a genial fellow stepped through the door. Average height, though possessed of the sort of looks in style and complexion that some mistook for charm and not social camouflage. His eyes, fortified above a warm smile that thawed none of the ice there, never took in the ready room. They were on her the entire time like a predator would upon a scent of blood on the air.

"Doctor Benjamin Ingram. Lieutenant Commander, Starfleet Science Divison," he said as he pulled a memo pad from his jacket pocket. "I present my credentials and orders to you from the office of Starfleet Personnel to take up the position of Chief Science Officer of the USS Amaterasu effective upon your receipt of said orders."

Wait a beat.

"Ma'am."

So formal. Not exactly what she expected from such a senior officer but then again she'd met many a stiff man of science in her years. That's fine, she could be formal. "Welcome aboard Lieutenant Commander." Vel took the Memo Padd. "Captain Velesaria Azumé, Commanding Officer, USS Amaterasu accept your credentials and acknowledge receipt of said Orders."

She indicated the seat next to him in front of the desk before taking her own. "Do you prefer Doctor or Commander, Mister Ingram?" Vel asked having a guess at the answer from his introduction. She would try to use his preference when appropriate.

"Doctor, if you please. It's a title I earned by my wits and intellect, instead of one given but for dint of time in service," he took the seat and settled into the chair offered. "I must say, when I had heard you'd stepped down as the ship's science officer to take on the lesser administrative role as Captian, I was... intrigued. After all an aspiring career cut short, its a net loss for the scientific community."

"I don't consider it a lesser role at all." Vel said pouring herself a cup of coffee from the carafe on the desk. The monogrammed latte cup that Ramirez ordered had survived the incident. It felt right that they were still used to carry on his legacy. After pouring her own Cell offered to Ingram.

"You don't think there's a benefit to having a scientist in Command of a Starship?" The Orion raised her eyebrow. In no way did she think being the Captain lessened her qualifications as a Scientist. After all explorers like Pike and Hernandez had certainly made their mark on the Fleet and in the scientific community.

"It is hard to serve two masters," Ingram said, holding a hand out over his cup to forestall the coffee. "If this was a purely scientific expedition, I might find agreement. But given the recent history of this ship, and it being the forefront of Starfleet technological prowess, I doubt very much we will be exploring anything other than the same stretch of space to ensure Klingons do not cross the Neutral Zone."

"True, I don't deny that I have other responsibilities besides simply scientific research." Vel took a sip of her coffee. "However I have faith that we can still explore and study space regardless of our mission. That being said I wouldn't bet too hard on only encountering Klingons in our future, apparently the Admiral has her sights focused toward the Beta Quadrant these days." Vel dropped that little tidbit with another sip, while it was a good bet that if relations with the Klingon Empire soured the Amaterasu and Excelsior would find themselves showing a presence. But that didn't mean that all of Starfleet's interests resided solely in the Alpha Quadrant.

"Let us hope then that the Admiral's wishes and corporeal reality share a common reference point," Ingram said. He raised his hands, steepling them together and rocking them forward towards her. "On the point of commonality, from one scientist to another, I hope you understand Captian that I will be planning on running the science department as I see fit. Under your guidance, of course. I know how hard it can be to take one's hands off the tiller."

"I would expect nothing less." Vel grinned taking another sip of her coffee. In truth she hadn't had much time to build the department in any particular image when the accident occurred. While they suffered relatively low casualties compared to the Engineering and other services departments, many had requested transfered to less Frontline vessels. "I can certainly let go some slack on the reigns but I won't be letting them lose either. But if you want to expand beyond standard Starfleet protocols in the running of your department I'm all ears."

Vel gestured, her hands open waiting for Ingram to drop his first font of knowledge on her.

"I'll be sure to keep you in the loop with any...developments I decide will benefit the scientific apparatus of this starship," Benjamin noted. "I will not pretend that this posting is what I desired of it, but I will be honest enough to say I will make hay whilst the sun shines. And I am also sure you have more administrative tasks to take care of, and I should really settle into my office."

Vel raised a manicured eyebrow at the expression, she'd have to file that one away to bug Mayhew about later. "You should. I'm here to offer advice and to approve of your developments." While she didn't want to stifle the man, there was a certain level of control she needed to keep. But it would be interesting to see what someone of his development background could bring to the ship.

"Dismissed Commander." Vel said standing, extending her hand in a human fashion. "and again, welcome aboard."

"Glad to be here," he said as he rose. He then took the hand in his, with all the warmth of liquid oxygen. "Captian."

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